Spring can be also the perfect time for sewing as I appreciate brighter light and nature is so inspiring! La primavera è un momento perfetto per cucire. In particolare apprezzo molto la luce più intensa e la natura quale fonte di ispirazione.

When the flowers are in blossoms, observing insects and butterflies can be a good starting point for creative details with applications or embroaderies of natural themes on the fabric.Con la fioritura completa delle piante, l’osservazione degli insetti e delle farfalle può essere un buon punto di partenza per spunti creativi di ricamo o applicazioni sulla stoffa.

This is the first time I recycle an old pair of jeans and create a bag out of it. The lovely story about it and tutorial on TandemBags Blog! I wish you as much fun as I had!Questa è la prima volta che reciclo un paio di pantaloni e ci faccio una borsa. Per i simpatici retroscena e il tutorial andate su TandemBags Blog Buon divertimento!

Waiting to be as famous as “Vera Bradley” , this is my first attempt to show how to create bags with pictures and explanations. You just need a small nice piece of fabric, 2 hours and a sewing machine. Find here free tutorial of Rita. Have Fun!

A lovely surprise we found back home after a few days of holiday: a lovely card from our Castello di Volpaia favourite café “Bar Ucci”. It was intriguing and …..finally we discovered that our friends Jean Luc and Karine from France who stayed at Ancora del Chianti B&B 3 years ago, came for a visit and before leaving they left this card.

Laura’s answer is: “Sewing, sewing, sewing: I think that I am close to be addicted to sewing now! This is my winter 2011 discovery!”

But it is not my fault completely. I have been meeting so many ladies, guests at the B&B Ancora del Chianti, and friends all around the world that introduced me to the secret delight of sewing. They showed me their works and tutorials and most important, they explained what sewing meant for them.

Everything was so tempting that I had to experience myself and ….my curiosity has been rewarded.

While I was wandering on a rainy day in Bordeaux, France, I found this remnant of upholstery textile in a dusty and dark shop and it was love at first sight.

When I came back home at our friends’, I reported about my shopping and my projects to Julie, our lovely French host. Surprisingly she confessed her passion for sewing and showed me her last works. I could not believe that sewing addiction was so contagious!

Once back home in Greve in Chianti, I spent about a week of intense work in the tranquillity of the winter Chianti countryside in order to understand how to make a bag out of a flat piece of textile. I must admit that I have been doing several experiments (doing and a lot of ….. undoing) but I made it and in the end Lola came to life.

Lola is my first handmade bag and I am so proud of it. It is always by my side, as a good friend.

When Alain and Marie stayed at Ancora del Chianti B&B last Autumn, Mathilde, their daugher was very proud of her new camera and wanted to take a picture of us all together just after breakfast. This is her job and a review of their stay at the bed and breakfast they send us.